Creating Cohesive and Aligned Product Principles for Designers
As the Director of User Experience at RevenueWell, I had the privilege of leading a talented design team responsible for crafting exceptional user experiences. During my tenure, we established a set of product principles that served as a guiding compass for our design decisions. These principles ensured that our work was cohesive, aligned, and ultimately delivered value to our users. In this blog post, I would like to share these product principles that we developed and practiced, enabling us to create products that were interconnected, focused, quick to understand, intuitive, consistent yet innovative, enterprise-oriented yet simple, and built for practices while being delightful for each user.
Interconnected, but focused
We recognized the importance of providing users with easy access to all the necessary tools and features, ensuring a seamless experience. However, we also understood the value of maintaining focus and avoiding unnecessary distractions. Our product design aimed to strike a balance between interconnectedness and focus. We organized information and functionality in a way that allowed users to have everything they needed close-by, while keeping the task-at-hand at the forefront, free from unnecessary clutter.
Complex in nature, but quick enough to understand
In today's fast-paced world, users expect to grasp the essence of a product within seconds. We focused on creating page hierarchies that were clean and intuitive, enabling users to quickly understand the purpose and functionality of each element. While the nature of our product might be complex, we aimed to present it in a way that facilitated efficient navigation and understanding, ensuring users could engage with it effortlessly.
Intuitive, but help when needed
We strived to make our product intuitive and user-friendly, minimizing the need for extensive guidance. However, we also recognized that there would be instances where users required assistance. In such cases, we ensured that help, clues, and well-written content and descriptions were readily available. We emphasized the importance of providing contextual help within the product, ensuring that users could access guidance when needed, enhancing their overall experience and reducing friction.
Consistent, but innovative when needed
Consistency is key to creating a coherent and recognizable user experience. We maintained consistency in our design patterns, interactions, and visual language, allowing users to develop familiarity and confidence as they interacted with our product. However, we also recognized the need for innovation when it added value. We carefully evaluated when and where to introduce new patterns or elements, ensuring that they were purposeful and enhanced the overall user experience without compromising consistency.
Enterprise first, but simple enough for SMB
Our product catered to a wide range of users, from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises. We acknowledged the need to provide powerful features and functionality for enterprise clients, while also ensuring that the product remained accessible and user-friendly for SMBs. We embraced a flexible approach, creating a product that could scale and accommodate the needs of organizations with varying sizes and complexities, providing a comprehensive solution for all users.
Built for practices, but delightful for each user
We understood that our product was designed to support specific practices and workflows within the dental industry. We aimed to create a solution that not only facilitated efficient and streamlined processes but also brought joy and satisfaction to our users. By focusing on personalized experiences and tailoring the product to individual users, we aimed to help them reach their goals effectively and experience the rewards of their efforts, ensuring a delightful and rewarding user experience for all.
By adhering to these product principles, our design team at RevenueWell was able to create cohesive, aligned, and user-centric experiences. These principles guided our decision-making process, ensuring that our design solutions were effective, intuitive, and delightful. As designers, let us embrace these principles and create products that truly resonate with our users, delivering value, and enhancing their lives